| Capital city | Carson City |
| Population | 3,104,614 (2020) |
| Surface | 286,585 km² |
| Governor | Steve Sisolak (D) |
| Member of the US since | 1864 |
A map of Nevada
Nevada is a state of the United States. It is located in the western United States. Nevada borders California to the west , Oregon and Idaho to the north, Utah to the east, and Arizona to the southeast. Nevada is also called the Silver State and its abbreviation is NV. The capital of Nevada is Carson City, but the largest and most famous city is Las Vegas. More than 3 million people live in the state. The state was colonized by the Spanish in the 1770s. They made Nevada part of their colony of New Spain, later Mexico. After Mexican independence in 1821, Nevada remained part of the country, but more and more Americans moved to the state. Nevada was ceded by Mexico after the Mexican-American War of 1848. It has been part of the United States ever since. Nevada joined as the 36th state in 1864 during the American Civil War. The name Nevada comes from Spanish and means snowy. This is quite special, since Nevada is a very dry state. It mainly consists of deserts. Most of the state is uninhabited and nearly all residents live in or around the cities of Las Vegas, Reno, and Carson City. Nevada is known as a progressive state with many freedoms. It was the first state in the country to allow gambling and divorce. The gambling industry is very important to the state as many tourists come to Las Vegas every year to gamble. Tourism is therefore the most important factor for the economy. Nevada is also a “blue state”. This means that the Democratic Party has a large following in the state.
Geography
The Pyramid Lake
Landscape
Nevada is located in the so -called Great Basin. This is a region between the Rockey Mountains and the Coastal Mountains. Both mountain ranges hold back moist air, making the Great Basin composed of deserts and grasslands. Still, a few rivers flow through the state, including the Colorado, the Snake, and the Humboldt. Also, there are several lakes, such as Lake Tahoe. In southern Nevada is the Mojave Desert, where the city of Las Vegas is located. Although the south of the state is very arid, most people live in the south. The north of the state is very sparsely populated with a few cities. Nevada is also one of the most mountainous states.
Nevada’s Largest Cities
| Number | City | Inhabitants | County |
| 1. | Las Vegas | 641.903 | Clark County |
| 2. | Henderson | 317,610 | Clark County |
| 3. | reno | 264.165 | Washoe County |
| 4. | North Las Vegas | 262.527 | Clark County |
| 5. | Enterprise | 221.831 | Clark County |
| 6. | Spring Valley | 215,597 | Clark County |
| 7. | Sunrise Manor | 205.618 | Clark County |
| 8. | Paradise | 191.238 | Clark County |
| 9. | Sparks | 108,445 | Washoe County |
| 10. | Carson City | 58,639 | Carson County |
Climate
Nevada is one of the driest states in the United States. For the most part, the state has a steppe climate or Mediterranean climate. This means high temperatures throughout the year and little precipitation. In the south, Nevada has a desert climate. Even less rain falls here. In some areas in the north there is a temperate climate with slightly lower temperatures and slightly more precipitation. Most rain falls in the northeast of the state. Drought is a big problem for Nevada. Climate change is making the state drier. There are fears that water will run out in the future, especially in the Las Vegas area.
Nevada’s vast landscape
Population
General
In 2020 Nevada had about 3.1 million inhabitants. Nevada’s population is still growing at a few percent per year. This is mainly due to immigration from other states and neighboring Mexico. Most people move to Las Vegas or its environs. More than 2/3 of the population lives in this region. It is also one of the fastest growing regions in the country.
The Great Basin National Park
50% of the state’s population is made up of white Americans, 28% is Latino, 11% African American, 10% Asian, and 2.1% Native American. The population of Nevada is therefore very multicultural. The state has large immigrant groups from Vietnam, the Philippines, Mexico, Bangladesh, India and Taiwan.
Language
Nevada has no official language under the Constitution. Nevertheless, English can be seen as an official language. English is spoken in education, politics and justice. English is also used in everyday life and most residents only speak English. The most widely spoken foreign language is Spanish, which is mainly spoken by Latinos. Other widely spoken languages are Tagalog and Chinese. In addition, a number of indigenous languages are also spoken.
Religion
Nevada is one of the least religious states in the United States. Only 30% of residents attend church regularly, which is very low for the United States. 35% of the population is Protestant and 25% is Catholic. 4% of the population belongs to the so-called Mormons who mainly live in the east of the state. The Mormons are a Christian community living in the neighboring state of Utah. 28% of the population has no religion or is unbeliever. Minor religions include Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
Politics
State politics
The Nevada State House
Nevada’s day-to-day management is in the hands of a governor. The current governor of Nevada is Democrat Steve Sisolak. The governor is elected every four years by direct election. To become governor, you must be at least 25 years old, be a US citizen and have lived in Nevada for two years. The governor is aided by a lieutenant governor, who is elected through separate elections. The lieutenant governor assists the governor and replaces him in his absence. The two together with the other ministers form the government of the state. In addition, Nevada has another legislature, the Nevada Legislature. It consists of two rooms:
- The House of Representatives, consisting of 42 members who are elected every two years. A delegate can be a delegate for a maximum of 12 years.
- The Senate, consisting of 21 members who are elected every four years. A senator can be a senator for a maximum of 12 years.
Democrats have a majority in both chambers. The remaining seats are filled by Republicans.
Administrative division
How many counties in Nevada? Nevada is divided into 16 counties. These are:
- Churchill County
- Clark County
- Douglas County
- Elko County
- Esmeralda County
- Eureka County
- Humboldt County
- Lander County
- Lincoln County
- Lyon County
- Mineral County
- Nye County
- Pershing County
- Storey County
- Washoe County
- White Pine County
National politics
Nevada is a “blue state,” meaning the Democratic Party has a large following in the state. On maps, it looks like the Republicans actually have a lot of following. This is because Nevada is very rural and rural areas have many Republicans. Yet the majority of the population lives in cities, where Democrats typically have a large following. The city of Las Vegas in particular makes Nevada such a blue state. However, Republican presidential candidates can also win the state. Nevada is therefore sometimes referred to as a swing stategiven that the Democrats have only a small majority. That is why Nevada is also being contested during presidential elections. Between 1912 and 2020, Nevada has always voted for the winner of the presidential election, with the exception of 1976 and 2016. In 1976, Nevada voted for Gerald Ford, while Jimmy Carter won the election. In 2016, Nevada voted for Hillary Clinton, while Donald Trump won. Nevada is represented in the United States Congress by 4 representatives and 2 senators. Of the four delegates, 3 are members of the Democratic Party and one of the Republican Party. The two senators (Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto) are both members of the Democratic Party.
Economy
A ranch in Nevada
The main source of income in Nevada is tourism. Many tourists come to Nevada to gamble in Las Vegas. Las Vegas is also home to other tourist attractions, such as shows, amusement parks and hotels. Most of them are on The Strip, the most famous street in the city where most of the important buildings are located. Other sources of income are mining and agriculture. Nevada soils contain various metals, such as gold, copper, and lithium. Most mining takes place around Reno and to the south near Las Vegas. In terms of agriculture, there is a lot of extensive ranching in the state. This is livestock farming with few animals over a large space on so-called ranches. The livestock is used for dairy products and meat. Mainly, many cows and sheep are kept in the state. The state also has a small industry that is mainly focused on making machines, electronic products and food products.
